Engage

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: en=gage

CIDE DICTIONARY

Engage, v. t. [F. engager; pref. en- (L. in) + gage pledge, pawn. See Gage.].

•  To put under pledge; to pledge; to place under obligations to do or forbear doing something, as by a pledge, oath, or promise; to bind by contract or promise.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  To gain for service; to bring in as associate or aid; to enlist; as, to engage friends to aid in a cause; to engage men for service.  [1913 Webster]
•  To gain over; to win and attach; to attract and hold; to draw.  [1913 Webster]

  "Good nature engages everybody to him."  [1913 Webster]
•  To employ the attention and efforts of; to occupy; to engross; to draw on.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thus shall mankind his guardian care engage."  [1913 Webster]

  "Taking upon himself the difficult task of engaging him in conversation."  [1913 Webster]
•  To enter into contest with; to encounter; to bring to conflict.  [1913 Webster]

  "A favorable opportunity of engaging the enemy."  [1913 Webster]
•  To come into gear with; as, the teeth of one cogwheel engage those of another, or one part of a clutch engages the other part.  [1913 Webster]

Engage, v. i. 

•  To promise or pledge one's self; to enter into an obligation; to become bound; to warrant.  [1913 Webster]

  "How proper the remedy for the malady, I engage not."  [1913 Webster]
•  To embark in a business; to take a part; to employ or involve one's self; to devote attention and effort; to enlist; as, to engage in controversy.  [1913 Webster]
•  To enter into conflict; to join battle; as, the armies engaged in a general battle.  [1913 Webster]
•  To be in gear, as two cogwheels working together.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Engage, v.
1 tr. employ or hire (a person).
2 tr. a (usu. in passive) employ busily; occupy (are you engaged tomorrow?). b hold fast (a person's attention).
3 tr. (usu. in passive) bind by a promise, esp. of marriage.
4 tr. (usu. foll. by to + infin.) bind by a contract.
5 tr. arrange beforehand to occupy (a room, seat, etc.).
6 (usu. foll. by with) Mech. a tr. interlock (parts of a gear etc.); cause (a part) to interlock. b intr. (of a part, gear, etc.) interlock.
7 a intr. (usu. foll. by with) (of troops etc.) come into battle. b tr. bring (troops) into battle. c tr. come into battle with (an enemy etc.).
8 intr. take part (engage in politics).
9 intr. (foll. by that + clause or to + infin.) pledge oneself.
10 tr. (usu. as engaged adj.) Archit. attach (a column) to a wall.
11 tr. (of fencers etc.) interlock (weapons).

Derivative

engager n.

Etymology

F engager, rel. to GAGE(1)

THESAURUS

Engage

absorb, absorb the attention, accept obligation, affiance, agree, agree to, answer for, appeal, approach, arrest, assault, assay, attack, attempt, attend to business, attract, bargain, bargain for, battle, be answerable for, be attractive, be responsible for, be security for, beckon, become engaged, bespeak, betroth, bind, book, brief, bring, busy, captivate, capture, carry, catch, catch up in, chance, charm, clash with, coact, combat, commit, compact, concern, contract, contract an engagement, contract for, cooperate, covenant, decide, determine, devote, dispose, do a deal, do battle, dovetail, draw, draw in, embark on, embarrass, employ, enchant, encounter, engage in, engage in battle, engage the attention, engage the mind, engage the thoughts, engross, engross the mind, engross the thoughts, enlist, enmesh, entangle, enter into, enthrall, essay, exercise, face, fascinate, fetch, fight, get to do, give battle, go bail for, grab, grapple with, grip, guarantee, have an understanding, hire, hold, hold spellbound, hold the interest, hypnotize, imbue, immerse, implicate, incline, indenture, induce, influence, interact, interchange, interest, interest in, interlace, interlock, intermesh, interplay, intertwine, interweave, interwork, invite, involve, involve the interest, join battle, join battle with, join issue, lead, lift a finger, lure, make a deal, make an attempt, make an effort, meet, mesh, mesmerize, mind the store, monopolize, mortise, obligate, obsess, occupy, occupy the attention, offer, partake in, participate in, pass, pass the time, pledge, plight, preengage, preoccupy, procure, promise, prompt, publish the banns, put on, recruit, rent, reserve, retain, secure, shake hands on, sign on, sign up, sign up for, soak, spellbind, spend, spend the time, stipulate, strike, suck into, summon, sway, take into employment, take on, take part in, take the vows, take up, tangle, tantalize, tease, tempt, tickle, tie, tie up, titillate, troth, try, try conclusions, undertake, venture, venture on, venture upon, whet the appetite

ROGET THESAURUS

Engage

Motive

VB induce, move, draw, draw on, bring in its train, give an impulse, to, inspire, put up to, prompt, call up, attract, beckon, stimulate, spirit up, inspirit, rouse, arouse, animate, incite, foment, provoke, instigate, set on, actuate, act upon, work upon, operate upon, encourage, pat on the back, pat on the shoulder, clap on the back, clap on the shoulder, influence, weigh with, bias, sway, incline, dispose, predispose, turn the scale, inoculate, lead by the nose, have influence with, have influence over, have influence upon, exercise influence with, exercise influence over, exercise influence upon, go round, come round one, turn the head, magnetize, lobby, persuade, prevail with, prevail upon, overcome, carry, bring round to one's senses, bring to one's senses, draw over, win over, gain over, come over, talk over, procure, enlist, engage, invite, court, tempt, seduce, overpersuade, entice, allure, captivate, fascinate, bewitch, carry away, charm, conciliate, wheedle, coax, lure, inveigle, tantalize, cajole, tamper with, bribe, suborn, grease the palm, bait with a silver hook, gild the pill, make things pleasant, put a sop into the pan, throw a sop to, bait the hook, enforce, force, impel, propel, whip, lash, goad, spur, prick, urge, egg on, hound, hurry on, drag, exhort, advise, call upon, press, advocate, set an example, set the fashion, keep in countenance, be persuaded, yield to temptation, come round, concede, obey a call, follow advice, follow the bent, follow the dictates of, act on principle.

Undertaking

VB undertake, engage in, embark in, launch into, plunge into, volunteer, apprentice oneself to, engage, contract, take upon oneself, take upon one's shoulders, devote oneself to, take up, take in hand, tackle, set about, go about, set to, fall to, set to work, launch forth, set up shop, put in hand, put in execution, set forward, break the neck of a business, be in, for, put one's hand to, put one's foot in, betake oneself to, turn one's hand to, go to do, begin one's, broach one's, institute one's, put one's hand to the plow, lay one's hand to the plow, put one's shoulder to the wheel, have in hand, have many irons in the fire.

Warfare

VB arm, raise troops, mobilize troops, raise up in arms, take up the cudgels, take up arms, fly to arms, appeal to arms, fly to the sword, draw the sword, unsheathe the sword, dig up the hatchet, dig up the tomahawk, go to war, wage war, let slip the dogs of war, cry havoc, kindle the torch of war, light the torch of war, raise one's banner, raise the fire cross, hoist the black flag, throw away, fling away the scabbard, enroll, enlist, take the field, take the law into one's own hands, do battle, give battle, join battle, engage in battle, go to battle, flesh one's sword, set to, fall to, engage, measure swords with, draw the trigger, cross swords, come to blows, come to close quarters, fight, combat, contend, battle with, break a lance with, raise the jolly roger, run up the jolly roger, serve, see service, be on service, be on active service, campaign, wield the sword, shoulder a musket, smell powder, be under fire, spill blood, imbrue the hands in blood, on the warpath, carry on war, carry on hostilities, keep the field, fight the good fight, fight it out, fight like devils, fight one's way, fight hand to hand, sell one's life dearly, pay the ferryman's fee.

Commission

VB commission, delegate, depute, consign, assign, charge, intrust, entrust, commit, commit to the hands of, authorize, put in commission, accredit, engage, hire, bespeak, appoint, name, nominate, return, ordain, install, induct, inaugurate, swear in, invest, crown, enroll, enlist, give power of attorney to, employ, empower, set over, place over, send out, be commissioned, be accredited, represent, stand for, stand in the stead of, stand in the place of, stand in the shoes of.

Promise

VB promise, give a promise, undertake, engage, make an engagement, form an engagement, enter into an engagement, enter on an engagement, bind oneself, tie oneself, pledge oneself, commit oneself, take upon oneself, vow, swear, give one's word, pass one's word, pledge one's word, plight one's word, give one's honor, pass one's honor, pledge one's honor, plight one's honor, give credit, pass credit, pledge credit, plight credit, give troth, pass troth, pledge troth, plight troth, betroth, plight faith, assure, warrant, guarantee, covenant, attest, hold out an expectation, contract an obligation, become bound to, become sponsor for, answer for, be answerable for, secure, give security, underwrite, adjure, administer an oath, put to one's oath, swear a witness.

Compact

VB contract, covenant, agree for, engage, treat, negotiate, stipulate, make terms, bargain, make a bargain, strike a bargain, come to terms, come to an understanding, compromise, set at rest, close, close with, conclude, complete, settle, confirm, ratify, clench, subscribe, underwrite, endorse, indorse, put the seal to, sign, seal, indent, take one at one's word, bargain by inch of candle.

Earliness

VB be early, be beforehand, keep time, take time by the forelock, anticipate, forestall, have the start, gain the start, steal a march upon, gain time, draw on futurity, bespeak, secure, engage, preengage, accelerate, expedite, make haste.